Police recovered a rifle and two pellet guns in a Dartmouth industrial property after an extensive search prompted by a report of a gunman.

Shortly after 11:30 a.m., Halifax Regional Police received a call about a man pacing back and forth while carrying what appeared to be a rifle on the roof of one of the buildings at Dartmouth Metals Ltd.

Within minutes a heavy police presence was on the scene and a perimeter was established, first at the corner of Windmill Road and Wright Avenue and then later at the corner of Windmill Road and Dawn Drive.

Police had rifles drawn, and the tactical unit and a dog team were also on scene. Employees at the business were evacuated before the search was conducted and people at neighbouring businesses were told to stay where they were.

They searched three buildings on the property, according to an evening news release.

The recovered rifle was stored unsafely, an offence under the Criminal Code, said Staff Sgt. Bill Morris.

It was left out in the open with its trigger lock off, he said. Morris said the long gun resembled the gun described in the initial call to police.

“It looks like it’s not going to be suspicious, but we have to determine who owns it, why it was there, stuff like that,” he said.

Dartmouth Metals owner Peter Giberson said workers had been going about their usual routine Saturday morning when they were told to leave immediately. There were about 15 employees there at the time.

“They came in and they said somebody saw something,” said Giberson. “We never seen a thing.”

Giberson said that after the evacuation he heard different reports.

“Everybody you asked said they’d seen a different story,” he said.

At about 1:30 p.m., police had their guns drawn as a man came out with his hands up. It was quickly determined he was an employee.

The employee, Ivan Hall, said he was surprised to learn of what was going on and said he was told to stay in the building until police called for him. When asked for reaction to the police presence, Hall said he could understand why they were being cautious.

An employee at a nearby car dealership said one of his co-workers saw something on the roof but couldn’t be sure exactly what it was. The employee didn’t want to give his name, but said some people at the dealership were unnerved.

“A few people were freaked out, but you can understand why.”

Coming on the heels of three police officers being murdered and another two injured in Moncton by a gunman, Halifax Police Sgt. Jeff Carr acknowledged that “certainly it has been a tense time for policing.” But Carr said anytime police receive a report about a gun, they do what they believe is in the best interest of public safety and the safety of officers.

At about 2:15 p.m. another man came into view at the work site. Police ordered him onto the ground and he was handcuffed. It was later determined that the man, having heard about what was going on, went to the site and jumped a fence to get a closer look. Police led him to his vehicle and then escorted him home.

Carr said that no one other than the initial caller reported seeing someone on the roof. By 6 p.m. officers concluded their search and declared the site contained. The matter remains under investigation.